Electric switch



July 12, 1932- Y A. J. BLAKE T AL 1,865,922

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed April 50, 1929 90 if Vm@ Patented July 12, 1932UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE ARTHUR J'. BLAKE AND FRANKJ. TIFFANY, OFIBRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS TO HARVEY HUBBELL, INCORPORATED, OFBRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A. CORPO- RATION F CONNECTICUT ELECTRIC sw-LTCHApplication iled April 30, 1929. Serial No. 359,288.

This invention relates to an electric switch, particularly to a switchfor control of radio sets and like devices, although it is notnecessarily limited thereto. It has for an object to provide a toggleswitch or switch havgle switch with a rotary movement by mechanism whichispvery simple in construction and which will also be smooth andreliable Vin opeation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists incertain novel features of construction, combinations, and arrangement ofparts as will be more fully disclosed i'n connection with theaccompany-- ing drawing.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through our improved switchsubstantially on line 1-1 of Fig. 2, and showing a panel and means formounting the switch therein.

Fig. 2 is a rear .elevation of the device.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the insulating body member.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the operating member of the toggle.

Fig. 6 is an edge view thereof.

Fig. 7 is' an end elevation looking from the right of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one form of switch operating member.

Fig. 9 is an end view thereof looking from the right of Fig. 8.

Figs. 10 and 11 are an end and side elevation respectively of thepivoted switch member or Contact.

Fig. 12 is a partial side elevation and a partial longitudinal sectionof a switch having, a slightly different construction of operatingmember.

Fig. 13 is a transverse section substantially on line 13-13 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a partial side elevation and partial section of the operatingmember shown o in Fig. 12, and

Fig. 15 is an end view thereof looking from the r1ght of Fig. 14.

A mounting such as a front panel of a radio set or instrument board ofan automobile is shown at 16. Our improved switch assembly includes atubular support 17 threaded on its outer surface to receive the clampingnuts 18, this supporting member being adapted for insertion in thepanel, and is secured therein by merely clamping the nuts 18 on oppositesides of the panel. The switch construction also includes a body memberor block 19 of suitable insulating material having a chamber or recess20 in which is mounted a pivoted switch member 21. In the form shownthis member is of substantially U-shape with pivots 22 extendinglaterally from the free ends of the side portions v and seating innotches 23 formed in the front surface of the block 19. This block alsohas spaced slots or recesses 24 leading from its front wall and passingfrom the chamber 20 hthrough the end of the block, and in which aremounted the stationary contacts 25. These contacts are formedfrom sheetmetal and are buckled laterally as shown at 26 to provide ribs forseating in transverse grooves at one side of the slots 24, so that thecon-- tacts will be held in proper position in these grooves. Themounting operation merely involves sliding these contact members intothe slots 24 from the front wall of thebody member as will be clearlyapparent from Fig. 4. These Contact members have portions 27 projectingfrom the body block for attachment of lead wires.

This body block and associated elements is mounted on the supportingmember 17. For

lthis purpose a metal yoke or plate 28 `is se- `cured over the frontsurface of the block 19 by means of screws 29 passing through suitableopenings in the block and threaded into tapped openings in the plate. Itis separated and insulated from the contacts carried by the block bymeans of an insulating plate or washer `30 which is clamped between theplate and the body. These plates retain the contacts 25 in position andalso retain the pivots 22 for the movable switch member 21 in therecesses 23. The body is mounted on the supporting member 17 by reducingthe diameter of the inner end of this member and linserting it to anopening in the plate 28 and gaginga similar shoulder in the passagethrough the member 17 but this shoulder is not strictly necessary. Inthe body of the member 32 is a pair of slots 35 passing through the sidewalls thereof on diametrical opposite sides of the memberv for passageof the pivot pin 36, and these slots allow limited turning movements ofthe operating member 32 in the supporting member 17. Mounted to rock onthe pivot pin 36 is the operating member 37 of a toggle. This togglemember is of metal of suitable gauge with the walls pierced laterally asshown at 38 and 39 for passage of the pin 36 and thus pivotally mountthis member on the pin. Its free end has a notch 40 and an opening 41providing a cross bar 42 to seat in the fork end of the other togglemember 43 which is of insulating material,l

such for example as pressed libre. Member 43 has a reduced extension 44braced by a compression spring 45 seated at its opposite end about atubular flange 46 drawn on the inner wall of the connecting bar of theswitch member 21. Thus by swinging the free end of the member 37 thespring will be compressed, and as the two toggle members 37 and 43 passthrough the line joining the cen' ter of pin 36 and the center of theiange 46 the spring snaps the switch member 21 about its pivots 22 toeither engage the contacts 25 to bridge these contacts and thus closethe circuit or to move away from them and thus break the circuit. Thetoggle mechanism is operated in opposite directions by turning movementsof the member 32 in opposite directions. For this purpose the member 37is provided with a laterally extending lug 47 on one side edge whichseats in a notch 48 in the inner end of the member 32. Thus as themember 32 is turned in opposite directions the coaction of the sidewalls of this notch with the opposite sides of the lug 47 swings themember 37 in opposite directions to open or close the switch. Theoperating member 32may be operated by any suitable means such as aknurled head 49 secured to the outer end of the member by any suitablemeans such as screw 50. The shoulder 34 on the member 32 is notnecessary as the member 32 will be held in proper relation to thesupport 17 by means of the pivot pin 36 in the slots 35, but it assistssomewhat in this assembling operation. It will be noted from aninspection of the drawing that if the parts are assembled as shown withthe lug 47 on the right hand side or toward the observer then turningthe knob 49 to the right or clockwise will close the switch, whileturning it to the left or anti-clockwise will open the switch. On theother hand if the parts are assembled with the lug 47 on the left handside or on the side away from the observer then the action is reversedand the switch is closed by turning the knob to the left and opened byturning it to the right. It can therefore, be as` sembled to operate ineither manner desired.

In the form shown in Figs. 1, 3, 8 and 9, the operating member 32 isformed from" a piece of solid rod, which in quantity production, may bemade on an automatic screw machine. This member however, may be rolledup from a piece of sheet metal into a tube as shown at 51 in Figs. 12 to15. In making this element a flat blank of sheet metal is stamped withsuitable dies with the slots 35 and notch 48 cut therein. It is thenrolled up to a tubular form and is mounted in the supporting member 17,the same as in the first form.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the device is ofvery simple construction with the supporting member 17 and the switchblock 19 and associated elements all assembled as a unitary structurewhich may be mounted in a panel by merely inserting the member 17 in anopening in the panel, clamping the nuts 18 on opposite sides thereof,and then mounting the operating nut 49 on the projecting end of theoperating member 32 or 51. Also this simple construction provides atoggle switch mechanism with its advantages lof a quick make and breakand wiping engagement between the contacts which are operated by turningmovements of the operating member. It thus gives a toggle switch with arotary control movement and gives it with a simpler mechanism than inthe usual toggle switch mechanism. The device comprises a relativelysmall number of parts which can be easily assembled and may therefore bemanufactured at relatively low cost. It is also to be observed that theaxis of the operating members 32 or 51 are in the same plane with theaxis of the oscillating member 37 through they are at right angles toeach other. This simplifies the construction and permits the location ofthe switch mechanism back of the panel lin its natural position whilethe knob 49 is at the front, and by a mere changing of the length of thesleeve 17 and members 32 and 51 the device is adapted for any thicknessof panel desired.

Having thus set forth the nature of our invention, what we claim is:

1. In an electric switch, a supporting member, an insulating body memberconnected with said supporting member, a toggle switch carried bysaidbody including a swinging switch member and a toggle mechanism for saidslot.

movements of the operating member. p

5. In an electric switch, a tubular support,l

pivoted in the operating it including a pivoted member, a Y

rotary member mounted in the vsupporting member and accessible foroperation at the outer end thereof and a permanent connection betweenthe rotary member and each side of the pivoted member of the togglemechanism to swing said member on its pivot for operating said mechanismby turning movements of the rotary member.

2. In an electric switch, a support, aninsulating body member, means forsecuring the body to said support, stationary switch contacts carried bythe body, a pivoted switch member carried by the body and movable to andfrom engagement with said contacts, a toggle mechanism for operating theswitch member including a pivoted member, an operating member mountedfor turning movements in the support, and an operative connectionbetween said operating member and said pivoted member for operating saidtoggle mechanism, said operative connection including a slot in one ofsaid members and an extension on the other member disposed in 3. In anelectric switch, a tubular support, means for 'mounting the support in apanel, an insulating body member, means for mounting said body member onthe inner end of the support, a toggle switch including a pivoted switchmember carried by the body and toggle mechanism for operating itincluding a pivoted element carried -by the support, an operating membermounted for turning movements in the support, means at the outer end ofthe support for turning the operating member and an operative connectionfrom said member to the said pivoted element ofthe toggle mechanism.

4. In an electric switch, a tubular support, an insulating body member,means for mounting the body member at the inner `end of the support, apivoted switch member' mounted in the body, a toggle mechanism foroperating the switch including a member pivoted to the support, anoperating member mounted for turning movements in the support, and meanson the vouter end of said member for operating it,- said operating'member being provided with a recess at its inner end and said togglemember having a portion in said recess whereby said toggle member isswung on its pivot by turning an insulating body member, means formounting the body member on the inner end of said support a movableswitch member body member, an operating member pivoted in said supportand connected with the switch member, a rotary member ymounted in thesupport, an operative connection from the rotary member to the operatingmember, and means at the outer end of the rotary member for operatingit.v 1

an insulating body member, means for mounting the body member on theinner end of said support, a `movable switch member pivoted in the bodymember, a toggle member pivoted in the support and havingl a laterallyextending lug, a compression spring connected with the switch member andthe free end of the toggle member, an operating member mounted to-turnin the support and having a notch in its inner end to receive said lug,and means at the outer end of the operating member for turning it.

6. In an electric switch, a tubular support,

1 7. In an electric switch, a body member of insulating material havinga chamber extend-l ing from a wall thereof and provided with recesses onopposite sides of said chamber opening through said wall, a switchmember v" having 'laterally extending pivots in said re: cesses,'saidbody being also provided with a pair of spaced recesses leading fromsaid wall and extending :fromv said chamber to the outside of the body,contacts in said recesses having -extensions forming stationary contactsin the chamber in position to be bridged by said switch member, meansfor securing leads to said contacts, an insulating plate secured againstsaid wall to retain said pivots and the contacts inthe recesses, andmeans for swinging the switch member on its pivots.Y

8. In an electric switch, spaced stationary contacts, a pivoted switchmember movable to and from engagement with said'contacts,

a toggle mechanism for operating the switch member including a pivotedoscillating member, and an operating member connected to saidoscillating member mounted to turn about an axis in the same plane asthe pivoted axis of the oscillating member and at substantially rightangles thereto l9. In an electric switch, a pair of contacts, a switchelement pivotedintermediate its ends, a member pivoted on an axis'parallel with the axis of the switch element,`and turnable meansconnected with 'said member, said means adapted foroscillating movementand limited in said movement by the pivot of the member, said memberconnected with -said switch' element, and said means-adapted on beingturned to move said switch element t0 one side or the other of the pivotof the switch-element to open or close the switch.

- 10. In an electric switch, a pair of contacts, a switch elementpivoted intermediate its ends, a member pivoted on an axis parallel withthe axis of the switch element and loosely connected thereto, a tubularturnable means surrounding said member and loosely connected theretowhereby on turnmg movement of said means the member is rocked on itspivot to throw the switch element to one side or the other of the pivotofthe switch element.

lly connected thereto,

rounding said member and loosely connected its ends, a member pivoted onan axis parallel with the aXis of the switch element and loosea turnablemeans surthereto whereby on turning movement of said means the memberisrocked on its pivot to throwfthe switch element to one side or the otherof the pivot of the switch element, and said member having a lateralextension and the turnable means having a slot receiving 'saidextension.

12. In an electric switch, spaced stationary contacts, a pivoted switchmember movable to and from engagement with said contacts,

a toggle mechanism or operating the switch member including a pivotedoscillating mem-- ber`,` an operating member connected to saidoscillating member mounted to turn about an axis in the same plane asthe pivoted axis of the oscillating member and at substantially rightangles thereto, and said operating member mounted for oscillatingmovement and limited in said movement by the pivot of the x pivotedoscillating member.

' carried by the body,

13. In an electric switch, a support, means for mounting the support ona mounting, an

vinsulating body member, means for securing the body to the support sothat it is carried by the support, stationary switch contacts a pivotedswitch member carried by the body and movable to and from engagementwith said contacts, a toggle mechanism for operating the switch memberincluding a pivoted member, an operating member' mounted for turningmovements in the support, and an operative connection between saidoperating member and said pivoted member for operating said togglemechanism.

14. In an electric switch, a pair of contacts, a switch element pivotedintermediate its ends, a member ivoted on an axis parallel with the axisci) the switch element and loosely connected thereto, a tubular turnablemeans surrounding said member, said means adapted for oscillatinmovement and limited in said movement by t e pivot of the member,

said means being loosely connected to the member whereby on turninmovement of said means the member is roc ed on its pivotto throw theswitch element to one side or the other of the pivot of the switchelement.

In testimony whereof we aiiix our signa# tures.

ARTHUR J. BLAKE. FRANK J. TIFFANY.

